‘He Loved to Lead Children to the Good Lord’: Family and Friends Remember Slain Cop Killed in the Line of Duty

Photo Credit: Oxford Police Dept./Twitter
Photo Credit: Oxford Police Dept./Twitter
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Editor

A Mississippi sheriff’s deputy shot and killed over the weekend while protecting his community is being remembered by friends, colleagues and family for living out his Christian values.

Deputy William Durr, 36, loved God and had a deep devotion to serving the Almighty, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported. Before going into law enforcement, Durr worked in Christian ministry as a youth minister and pastor. He often spoke with children about God through puppet shows.

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This past holiday weekend, Durr was gunned down while responding to a domestic violence dispute in Bogue Chitto, Mississippi.

Durr’s killer and domestic violence suspect Willie Corey Godbolt is reportedly responsible for a slew of shootings that took place in the area over the weekend.

Godbolt’s shooting spree started at his estranged wife’s house in Bogue Chitto, where he shot his mother-in-law and officer Durr.

Godbolt has no explanation for the gruesome attack. Speaking to authorities hours after Durr’s death, he said, “My pain wasn’t designed for [Durr]. He was just there.”

 

Durr was one of eight people killed on Saturday night during Godbolt’s three-home shooting rampage. The attack extended into the neighboring town of Brookhaven, where Godbolt targeted family members and acquaintances, including 18-year-old Jordan Blackwell, 11-year-old Austin Edwards, Ferral Burage, 45, and Shelia Burage, 46, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported.

Zach Harveston, who worked with Durr at the Lincoln County sheriff’s office, reflected on his former colleague’s death and legacy.

“[Durr] loved to lead children to the good Lord,” Harveston told Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. “He was just a natural-born servant of the good Lord here at the department and even in the church he served in.”

Speaking to the Democratic Gazette, Deputy Durr’s mother, Debbie Durr, said that her son “was a good Christian man.”

Deputy Durr leaves behind a wife and an 11-year-old son.

Please keep the Durr family in your prayers.

(H/T: Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette)
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